Meet Paisley – Leukemia Warrior

Meet Paisley

“If it weren’t for the NCCS, I wouldn’t know what I would have done” – Paula, Paisley’s mom

At 19 months, most children are starting to recognize objects, sort things and use utensils when eating – and Paisley was no exception. She was hitting just about every milestone right on time. However, her spontaneous and energetic personality came to a screeching halt when she was suddenly diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Soon after her diagnosis, she had a port inserted for her to begin chemotherapy treatment. Unfortunately, during chemotherapy, she developed cellulitis – a potentially serious bacterial skin infection – on her arm. She was given antibiotics to clear the infection, but it ended up making her even sicker since she was taking multiple medications at that time. She had to spend several drawn-out months in the hospital, along with unexpected emergency room visits due to high fevers. With the enormous amount of time missed from work caring for her daughter, Paisley’s mother, Paula, lost her job. This was especially devastating since she is a single mom.

Between getting Paisley to treatment and doctors’ appointments, the travel expenses quickly added up. With their funds going directly into Paisley’s treatment, Paula almost lost her car. She was referred to the NCCS by her hospital social worker, where she learned about the Emergency Assistance Fund, which was used to help her keep her car. She also received help from the orgnazation’s Travel Assistance Fund, which helped with mileage expenses so Paisley was able to make all of her doctor’s appointments that were an hour away from their home. Paula also found valuable information in our parent’s guide, a free publication for parents to help them navigate their child’s cancer journey. “If it weren’t for the NCCS, I wouldn’t know what I would have done. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart,” said Paula.

If you would like to help Paisley and other children battling cancer, donate today!